Coiled musical instrument string and musical instrument strung with said string



Dec. 27, 1955 J. F. DVORAK 2,728,278

COILED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STRING AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STRUNG WITH SAID STRING Filed May 19, 1952 INVENTOR. JOSEPH E DVORAK BY DES JARDINS, ROBINSON & KEISER H (S ATTORNEYS United States Patent COILED MUSICAL ENSTRUMENT STRING AND MUSECAE KNETRUMENT STRUNG WITH SAID STRING Joseph F. Dvorak, Cincinnati, @hio, assignor of onediaii' to Joseph Litochleb, Qincinnati, Ohio Application May 19, 1952, Serial No. 288,727

2 Claims. (Cl. 94-199) This invention relates to a cylindrical coiled music or piano wire, and it particularly pertains to cylindrical coiled music wire for musical instruments in which the hollow core of the coil is of predetermined diameter in respect to the diameter of the wire of the coil, thereby resulting in the outside diameter of the coil also being in a certain relation to the diameter of the wire.

Music or piano wire ranges in diameter size from (N0. 00 to 36) 0.0085 to 0.102 inch in diameter, and it has been cylindrically coiled for use in musical instruments so that the longer length or" wire could be confined in much shorter space. The uniformly coiled wire is able to vibrate evenly like a straight uncoiled wire. The transverse vibration of the wire is controlled by tensioning it, means being provided to which the ends are attached and at least one of these means being readily adjustable for tensioning. However, there is no disclosure of the coil being Wound with such small diameter in proportion to the diameter of the wire that the longitudinal vibration in proportion to the transverse vibration is negligible.

Accordingly, one of the principal objects of the invention is a cylindrical coiled wire which is of a construction to eliminate longitudinal vibration of said wire or to have it negligible in proporton to the transverse vibration.

Another object of the invention is a cylindrically coiled wire in which the transverse vibration is controlled by the size of the bore, the inside diameter of the cylindrical coil being in a certain proportion to the diameter of the Wire of the coil.

Another object of the invention is to have the outside diameter of the coil in such proportion to the length of the tuned coil that the frequency of the longitudinal vibration of the coiled spring is in much higher proportion to the transverse vibration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a musical wire that is tuned in low tones capable of being modulated or doubled into hi h tones of quality and clarity.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a coiled Wire that can be stretched uniformly and evenly with respect to all of the convolutions of the coil in be ing tensioned, thereby maintaining the stretched coil of uniform diameter throughout its length.

Further objects, and objects relating to details of construction and economies of operation, will readily appear in the detailed description to follow. In one instance, if have accomplished the objects of my invention by the device and means set forth in the following specification. My invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims. The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. i is a perspective view of an unstretched coiled music wire embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the close coil of Fig. l in stretched condition.

in the present practice of making coiled music or piano wire, the Wire is coiled with an inside diameter that not only greatly exceeds the diameter of the wire of the coil,

2,728,278 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 but there is no correlation whatever between the diameter of the wire and either the inside or outside diameter of the coil. For example, in coiling music or piano wire (No. 1) of about 0.0098 inch diameter about a mandrel or core, the diameter of the mandrel or core will be from about 0.125 to 0.375 inch diameter. The same diameter mandrel or core is used for coiling (No. 2) 0.0105, (No. 3) 0.0115, (No.4) 0.0125, (No. 5) 0.0145, (No.6) 0.0150, (No. 7) 0.0175, (No. 8) 0.0190, and (No. 9) 0.0220 inch wire. For wire of larger diameter, such as (Nos. 10 and 11) 0.0245 and 0.027 inch, the diameter of the mandrel or core is from about 0.187 to 0.625 inch. Accordingly, it will be readily apparent that the inside diameter is not equal, or even substantially equal, to that of the Wire, and the outside diameter of the coil is of the order of fifteen times the diameter of the wire. The outside diameter of the coils from Nos. 1 to 9 wire is from 0.150 to 0.444 inch, that of No. 10 wire from 0.258 to 0.714 inch, and that of No. 11 wire from 0.266 to 0.719 inch. Even in these coiled wire constructions in which the outside diameter of the coil is so many times greater than that of the diameter of the wire, there is no correlation therebetween, the above examples showing their wide variance.

The larger convolutions of the larger diameter coils are, because of their size, subject to vibration longitudinally as well as transversely, and not restricted to transverse vibration only.

The foregoing reference to the prior art practice pertains to spring winding wherein the wire is turned around a mandrel or arbor, as when winding in a lathe, and the diameter of the spring is determined by the diameter of the arbor and the tension given to said wire while winding, but the same is applicable to coiling wherein the wire is just forced into a circle by tools acting upon the outside of said wire and the formation of the coil does not depend on the diameter of the arbor. In this latter process, the center arbor does not have to be of the same inside diameter as the coil being wound, and there is no correlation between inside diameter of the coil and that of the arbor.

Generally described, the invention comprises a music wire wound into a close cylindrical coil having a bore or inside diameter which is not substantially greater than, and preferably equal to, the diameter of the wire being coiled. The over-all outside diameter of the coil, which is the sum of the diameter of the bore and twice the diameter of the wire, will be three times that of the diameter of the Wire. The over-all outside diameter of the coil should not be more than four times the diameter of the wire, and preferably less, about three times the diameter of the wire. The minimum over-all outside diameter of the coil is not material, but the maximum over-all outside diameter is critical and should not exceed the above specified maximum proportion.

With the coil of the small diameter specified, there is no longitudinal vibration, and the coil will stretch evenly and uniformly throughout its length in being tensioned. Moreover, the low tones are not only more perfect and clear, but they can be modulated or doubled from low to high frequency to produce high tones of quality and clarity, the doubling being by a device to double the number of cycles of vibration.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which like numerals designate like parts, numeral 2 is a music wire which has been cylindrically coiled at 3 between its opposite terminal ends at and 5, said opposite ends being relatively short uncoiled lengths adapted to be fastened to the frame of the musical instrument by conventional holding means, one of which is adjustable for tuning. Only one of the terminal ends needs to be straight and uncoiled, this being the one that is connected to the ad- 3- justable. stop. The. diameter. of the wire. ranges from 0.008 to 0.102 inch.

The over-all inside diameter of the coil 3 does not substantially exceed the. diameter of: the. wire, and is preferably equal. thereto. Accordingly, the over-all outside diameter. of the coil, assuming the: diameter of the wire tobe:0.'055':inch,.wh ich.is the: average. of 0.008 and 0.102 inch, will be 0.165 inch or three times the diameter of the wire of the coil. The. outside diameter of the coil should; not. be. more. than 0.220 inch or four times that of' the diameter of the. wire. It may'be of lesser diameter, and preferably three. times that of the diameter of the-.wire.

Another form of fastening the wire is to have only one terminal; end straight with the opposite end: of the coil screwediintuv ahole. ofthe framev that. is threaded with inner screw threads of thesame diameter of the. coil.

With. a; cylindrical. coiled music wire. constructed as above. set forth, its transverse vibration is directly controlled,.with.the elimination of. any objectional longitudinal vibration,v by tension. of the. wire. The. invention makes possible getting from low intohigh .tones of'quality and? clarity, whereas heretofore it has not beenpossible: to' get into tone of quality and clarity with coiled wire, only-straightv wire being used; for that purpose. ter: low tones are obtained with the; coiledwire of this invention as well as being able to modulate or double it into the hightonesv of quality and clarity. This novel result isgattained; by producing coilswhich are not only uniformlyand evenly coiled throughout; their lengths but are so maintained when tensioned.

The; outside diameter of. the-wire coil is equal to or smaller than. 0.6% orsix tenths per cent of the length Bet- 25 of the tuned coil, that is, the stretch of the coil in tuned position. By knowing the outside diameter of the coil, which in turn is in direct proportion to that of the wire, the minimum length of the wire can be determined.

1 am aware that there may be various changes in de tails of construction without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, I claim my invention broadly as indicated by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent, is:

1. A musical instrument string having a speaking length consisting of the string in the form of a cylindrical coil having an inside diameter not substantially greater than the diameter of the string and an outside diameter not greater than .6% of the stretch of the coil in tuned position.

2. The combination of a stringed musical instrument and a musical instrument string stretched between supports wherein the speaking length comprises the string of claim 1.

References (lifted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 161,226 Hamilton Mar. 23, 1845 501,226 Hall July 11, 1893 1,422,993 Larned July 18, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS 404,533 France Oct. 22, 1909 512,676 Germany Nov. 15, 1930 715,733 France Sept. 29, 1931 

